Black Girls in Tech, a Nigerian-based community aimed at improving women representation in the tech industry, has announced a new partnership with CrowdForce, a technology-driven start-up that enables efficient data collection and delivery of financial services to the mass market.
In a media release, Black Girls in Tech says it provides “a community and safe space while increasing the representation of black women in the tech industry by making technology careers more accessible.”
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Black Girls in Tech believes that it’s CrowdForce partnership will help to “break the bias” and provide internship opportunities to members of the current BGIT Nigeria Front End development bootcamp cohort. This cohort are learning CSS, JavaScript and HTML in order to kickstart their tech careers.
With limited access to entry level opportunities in tech companies in Africa after upskilling, this marks the beginning of an initiative that not only empowers women with the tools needed to begin their technology careers, but gain valuable work experience that will enable them to apply their learnings to in-market products.
“We are happy to enter this partnership with CrowdForce and hope it serves as the first of many pipelines for permanent job opportunities for the women that take part. Access to permanent employment in the tech space is crucial to breaking the bias and increasing the number of women in tech across the African continent,” says Black Girls in Tech Nigeria’s founder and chief executive, Karen Emelu.
Creating employment opportunities
On its website, Black Girls in Tech says it was founded with the purpose of “creating a colourful space in the white, male-dominated technology sector. Here, black women can support each other, connect with one another and share their experiences and resources within a community of like-minded people. We are a community for black women in tech, by black women in tech.”
CrowdForce adds, “In our continued effort to break the bias, we believe strongly that access to employment opportunities are one of the many ways to empower women in tech. It is our hope that the women we hire from this current cohort find the opportunity enriching and a stepping stone to the illustrious careers they will go on to have.”
CrowdForce describes itself as Africa’s largest offline distribution network providing access to financial services by leveraging their merchant network to deploy digital services, financial products and collect payment from the mass market.
